Tale as old as Time
by Rolephant
Summary: When Luigi goes missing on his way to an inventors fair Alex goes to find him. She discovers he's in an old mansion but is it as deserted as she thinks and just who is the owner of the house and what's happened to him and his servants?
1. Chapter 1

Tale as old as time.

Chapter 1 – Missing

**A/N: This is a 3 way crossover, Ashes to ashes, Life on Mars and the Disney film Beauty and the beast. I've only ever wrote one crossover before and it didn't turn out to well so I hope this one does better. I got this idea at 5am a few mornings ago listening to old Disney mp3's. After checking if one had been written and telling rantandrumour my idea I decided to write it. I've had a lot of fun casting the characters. I should also point out that although I speak 6 languages, Italian isn't one of them so I apologise for any mistakes in that. Also I don't own ATA or LOM BBC Wales and Kudos do. I also don't own Beauty and the beast Disney do.**

Alex woke up to a huge explosion in the next building to hers. She ran out to her neighbours house. "Luigi! Are you alright?" she asked as the small Italian stumbled out of the door, covered in soot and coughing.** "**Si signorina Drake" he replied when the coughing subsided. "I just can't get my new pasta machine invention to work for the inventors fair tomorrow." He picked up a nearby spanner and went back into his workroom once again trying to coax the machine into life, swearing in Italian all the while. Alex stayed helping him with the contraption passing him tools.

Half an hour later and the machine whirred into action. "Molto bene!" he exclaimed as he pulled Alex into an embrace and they danced round the room.

"Congratulations Luigi!" she yelled as he switched the machine off.

They managed to get the machine on a horse drawn cart and covered it with a canvas sheet.

With that Luigi was off to the fair. Alex waved him away watching until he became a dot on the horizon.

She grabbed a basket and headed into town to get some groceries. The town was busy as usual, the hustle and bustle of the folk, working, shopping and gossiping. As usual a fair bit of the gossip was about her. She didn't care, she was used with it. Most women either spent their day at their husbands workplaces helping out or spending ridiculous amounts of money to make themselves look pretty. Alex didn't need to try she was naturally beautiful, Luigi had nicknamed her 'Bella' and she spent her time reading about far more interesting places than her boring little town.

After getting her food supplies she went off to her favourite haunt: Fenchurch book emporium. She looked in the window where she saw Evan White, the owner sat behind a desk reading one of the books.

The door clanged against the bell and Evan hopped up from the desk. "Ah, Alex!"  
"Good morning, Evan. I've come to return the book I borrowed." she said giving him the book back. Evan was the only towns person who was genuinely nice to her.  
"Finished already?" Evan replied , amazed.  
Alex grinned,embarrassed "Oh, I couldn't put it down. Have you got anything new?"  
"Not since yesterday!" he chuckled. Alex began to climb the wheeled ladder, scanning the rows of books for the on she was looking for. "That's all right. I'll borrow . . . . . this one!" She decided handing it to Evan  
He took a glance at the cover".That one? But you've read it twice!" he joked.  
"Well, it's my favourite! Far off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!"  
Evan handed her the book. "If you like it all that much, it's yours!"  
"But Evan!"  
He started to usher her out of the store to stop her from protesting. "I insist."  
"Well, thank you. Thank you very much!"

She went to sit at her favourite reading spot, a fountain in the heart of town. After a few minutes she became engrossed in the story and didn't notice two figures not so far away causing trouble. Shots rung out around the town followed by thuds as birds fell to the ground. The smaller man dashed round grabbing the birds and stuffing them in a sack. "I got them! Wow! You didn't miss a shot, Summers! You're the greatest hunter in the whole world!."

"I know." he replied smugly  
The smaller man elbowed him in the side lightly. "No beast alive stands a chance against you. --- And no girl, for that matter." he grinned  
"It's true, Layton. And I've got my sights set on that one." he said adamantly pointing at Alex who was still reading at the fountain.  
Layton looked at him incredulously. "The inventor's neighbour?"  
Summers fixed his hair about to walk over to her. "She's the one - the lucky girl I'm going to marry."  
"But she's ..." Layton interjected.  
"..The most beautiful girl in town." He ended facing summers , scowling threateningly.  
"I I I know, but.." he stammered.  
"That makes her the best. And don't I deserve the best?" Scowling deeper, hissing the words through clenched teeth.  
Layton shrank back. "Of course you do!" Summers grabbed him by the collar and steered him towards Alex.

Summers walked up behind Alex and snatched the book from her hands. "What are you reading?" he asked skimming through the pages. "How can you read this? There's no pictures!" he joked throwing the book to Layton who also flicked through it. "Too right boss!" he agreed obviously trying to please the taller man.

Alex got up and glared at the pair. Summers was tall, broad shouldered, blond haired and blue eyed. Layton was slightly shorter with shoulder length scruffy hair and slightly rat like in appearance. Alex snatched her book back.

"You know Alex" summers started. "Everyone's talking about us" wrapping an arm round her shoulder.

She threw his arm off. "Only because you've started the rumours Summers!" She hissed walking away. The pair followed her so she quickened her pace. "Go away, I'm not interested!" she yelled.

She stormed past the Rivens triplets. "How could she not want him?" asked the first one called Jeanette.

"I don't know, he's so dreamy!" replied her Identical sister. The third one nodded in agreement and they all sighed dreamily as the two men went past. Alex rolled her eyes as she heard them swoon, she ducked down a side alley and managed to get away from the pair. Summers stopped next to the girls and burst into Disney style song.

"Right from the moment when I met her, saw her  
I ask her out and she rejects  
Here in town there's only she  
Who is beautiful as me  
So I'm making plans to go marry Alex"

The Rivens joined in .

"Look there he goes  
Isn't he dreamy?  
Martin Summers  
Oh he's so cute!  
Be still my heart  
I'm hardly breathing  
He's such a tall, blonde, strong and handsome brute!"

Alex was walking home whilst this cheesy musical pursued. "He just won't give up" she muttered to herself.

She got home to find Luigi's horse with the cart with his machine on it had returned. "Where's Luigi?" She asked out loud to the horse untying it from the cart and grabbing a cloak.

She got on the horse and followed the tracks made by the cart in the dirt.

A while later it was getting dark and she pulled the cloak tighter round herself as the evening chill started to get to her. She got to a fork in the road. One road was poorly lit and looked rather creepy, the other more open and light. The horse obviously wanted to go down the lighter route. She was going to let it have it's way but she saw Luigi's scarf hanging from a branch on the 'creepy' road. The grabbed the reins tightly and forced the horse down the road. The horse was jumpy and halfway down the road there was a growl from a wolf and the horse freaked out threw Alex off it's back and ran off. Alex slowly got up thankful she hadn't broken anything. She carried on down the road until she got to some giant gates. She saw Luigi's hat lying on the other side and pushed through the once elegant now rusted gates.

She snuck into the house calling Luigi's name, looking for any signs of life, and unbeknownst to her she already passed two of the occupants.

A clock with the hands on his face representing his moustache went up to a candlestick. "What's going on I thought I 'eard the door opening again 'os tha?" he asked following round to where Alex was going up some stairs.

"A woman" said the candlestick

The clock rolled his eyes. "I can see that yer div! I mean 'o is she? What's she doin' 'ere?"

The candlestick shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno mate, but if the Guv finds out she's in big trouble"

Alex found Luigi in a cell on the 4th floor. "Luigi! Are you ok? What are you doing in there?" she said a little too loudly.

Luigi scrabbled to the cell door. "Hush Bella or he'll hear you! Get out of here forget about me, just go!"

She shook her head vehemently "No! what's happened? Who's keeping you here?" She demanded.

"That would be me" She jumped as the deep growling voice behind her had answered her.

**That's it a short opening chapter. From this point on it'll be less of a carbon copy of the movie, this will just be loosely based on the film. Reviews are greatly appreciated and those reading vision of the future don't worry the new chap will be here soon I promise :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Yes it's that time again Rolephant actually updates probably much to rantandrumour's surprise. Reasons why I don't update : my addiction to guitar hero, watching LOM and ATA and the fact I talk to the aforementioned rantandrumour so much. This weeks and last weeks was however was that the council are renovating our house and every thing's been chaotic, the PC was packed up for most of last week, I was reading all your fics on the wii internet channel. I can guess a certain persons response 'excuses excuses'. But enough blabbering on from me, here be chapter 2 and I again remind you I don't speak Italian so sorry for any mistranslations on my part. **

Tale as old as time chapter 2 – Fairy boy 

"There's a girl in the castle!" yelled Sammy hopping over to the teapot.

"Now then Sammy, don't go telling tales" Phylis told him as a maid broom came into the room.

"Mrs Dobbs, there's a girl in the castle!" Announced Shaz in her strong London accent.

Sammy grinned. "See I told ya"

Alex turned to see a tall shadowy figure. "who's there?" she asked trying to make out the figure.

"The master of this castle" he growled.

"Come into the light" she said curiously, indicating to the moonlight coming in through the window. He slowly stepped forward. He was even taller than she thought 8 maybe 8 and a half feet tall. She gasped as she made him out. He wasn't human . He was covered in dark blonde fur, he had massive paws, horns, silver blue eyes that shone out and what she noticed most of all the set of giant razor sharp teeth. Alex shrunk back against the wall.

"P-please let him go! He's not been well of late"

"No" replied the beast walking away.

"Wait!" she called out holding out her hand. "Take me instead."

The beast spun round. "You... would take his place?" Downcast Alex Nodded. "You must promise t' stay here foreveh" Luigi grabbed the bars of the cell door.

"No Bella! I'm old I've lived my life!"

Alex looked down at Luigi and replied. "You have my word"

"Done!" he growled. "Put 'im in the Quattro and take 'im back into town"

Luigi was dragged backwards through the castle and got thrown into a red carriage which got up and promptly walked off.

The beast grabbed Chris who whispered "Guv, if she's staying 'ere like, maybe yeh should give 'er a nicer room?" The beast nodded.

"I'll show yeh t' yer room" he said quietly.

"My room?" asked Alex "But I thought..."

"You wanna stay in the dungeons?" he snarled impatiently.

"No" she replied timidly.

"Then follow me" he ended sharply. They made their way through the maze that was the castle. The light from Chris' candlesticks cast over the gargoyles made them even more dramatic. "Say summat to 'er Guv" he persuaded.

"I er..'ope yer like it 'ere. The castle is yer 'ome now. Yer can go anywhere yer like 'cept the wes' wing."

Curiosity took the better of her. "What's in the west wi..."

"It's forbidden!" he interjected spinning round to face her.

They got to her room, "Invite 'er to dinner" Chris suggested.

The beast turned to face Alex. "You will join me fer dinneh, tha's not a request!" he shouted storming off.

Alex slammed the door, "You didn't even let me say goodbye!" she cried as she lay on the bed sobbing.

So how did a beast and furniture end up in the castle? Let's go back to the start.

Many years ago in a place called Fenchurch there was a castle where the police station now stands. In the castle was a prince with his many servants. Although he had everything he wanted and was very handsome he was also vain and selfish.

One day, an old beggar man sought refuge from the raging storm and bitter cold outside in return for a single rose. The prince repulsed by the man's appearance sent him away. But the old man changed into a handsome man with short light brown hair and sad brown eyes who wore a leather jacket and red flared chord trousers, out of the back of his jacket wings were present. "What are yeh? Some sort of fairy boy?" the prince asked amazed at the transformation.

"Yes" replied the fairy simply "I prefer Sam to 'fairy boy' though. Now the big question is why are you interested in me now but was so ready to throw me out five minutes ago?"

"Cos you were old 'n' ugly" the prince muttered honestly not too proud of himself.

Sam frowned. "I thought as much. Prince you only see beauty on the outside and not on the inside. I am therefore going to punish you" With a wave of his arm things in and around the castle began to change. The castle went from light with cherubs to dark with gargoyles. His servants began changing into ornaments and furniture and the like. The prince turned into what Sam had dubbed a beast. The fairy gave the prince a mirror. "You can see anything of the outside world via this" Then he gave the prince the rose he had offered before but this time in a protective glass jar. "If you don't find someone to love you as you are and you love them back by the time the last petal falls on your 41st birthday you will all stay this way forever." With that Sam the fairy turned and left as quickly as he had appeared.

Alex was still crying when she heard a knock on the door. She went to open the door and what she saw made her gasp and back into the wardrobe door. "Hello" said the teapot and as Alex crashed into the wardrobe it said "Woah be careful" in a cheery sort of way.

"You..you can talk??" she stammered. "But that's impossible"

"It's impossible alright, but 'ere we are" the wardrobe replied.

"Would you like a cup o' tea love?"asked the teapot. Alex recovered enough to nod as reply. "I'm Mrs Dobbs" the teapot greeted" Wha's your name?"

"I'm Alex, Alex Drake" she answered and the wardrobe joined in.

"I'm Annie"

One thing Alex did notice was that everyone she had met so far in the castle seemed to be from Manchester. 'They all must have come along with their master' she thought.

Once Alex had finished her tea, Mrs Dobbs left and Sammy the teacup followed suit,

Up in the west wing the beast had picked up the mirror the 'fairy boy' had given him. Curious to know more about his new 'guest'. "Show me the girl" he commanded the mirror and it flashed up Annie the wardrobe suggesting some dresses for Alex to try on. He hastily put the mirror down. He didn't want the servants walking in seeing him watching her trying on dresses.

He made his way down to the main front room. The clock came into the room. "Dinners readeh Guv" He informed the beast.

"Go and tell Alex to get down here will you Ray?" he asked as he paced the room.

"Yes Guv" He replied running upstairs. Mrs Dobbs and Chris were waiting with the beast in the front room.

"So Chris" the beast started looking up at the candlestick. "You're so full o' ideas today, how do I go abou' this?" he asked, Chris had been unusually helpful today where the beast and Alex were concerned. He put it down to Chris' relationship with Shaz, making him more understanding of the fairer sex.

Taking a moment to think Chris finally answered. "Well this is yer best chance t' impress 'er. Be polite, sound interested in what sh' has ter say, even if yer not. Make 'er feel welcome 'ere and the most important thing to remember Guv is.."

"NOT TO LOSE YOUR TEMPER!" both he and Mrs Dobbs emphasised in unison. The beast nodded reluctantly and just then the door began to open. Everyone in the room turned round expectantly only to find a very quiet even scared looking Ray peering round.

"Where is she?"asked the beast. Ray rubbed the back of his head nervously . "She's er not comin" he whispered.

"WHAT!" The beast roared, charging up the stairs. The three servants followed as fast as they could. He pounded on the door. "Oi! I told yeh t' come t' dinneh!" he yelled through the door.

"I'm not hungry" she shouted defiantly back in a 'not if you were the last man on earth' sort of way.

"You come down or I'll break down the bloody door!"

"Guv..." Chris started nervously. "Remember wha' I said. Calm and polite" he advised.

The beast took a deep breath and started again. "It would give me great pleasure if yeh'd come down t' dinneh" he said through gritted teeth trying but failing to keep the anger out of his voice.

"No thank you!" she called back.

"FINE!" He roared. "GO AHEAD AND BLOODY STARVE THEN!" He turned to his servants. "If sh' don't eat wi' me then sh' don't eat at all" he instructed then as he stormed back off to the west wing.

Meanwhile Martin Summers was drowning his sorrows in the local pub.

"Who the hell does she think she is? That girl has tangled with the wrong man!" He shouted banging his fist on the arm of the chair.  
"Damn right. No one says 'no' to you!" Layton replied hurrying off for a moment.  
"Dismissed! Rejected! Publicly humiliated! Why, it's more than I can bear." Summers seethed.  
"More beer?" Layton asked offering him a tankard of ale.  
"What for? It only accentuates emotions" he said throwing the beer in a nearby fireplace.  
"Look boss, you've gotta pull yaself together." He told the taller man and broke into another Disney-esque style song.

"God it annoys me to see you, Martin  
Lookin' so daan in the dumps  
Ev'ry bloke here'd love to be you, Martin  
Even when takin' your lumps  
There's no geezer in town as admired as you  
You're ev'ryone's favourite guy  
Ev'ryone's awed and inspired by you  
And it's not very hard to see why  
No one's slick as Summers  
No one's quick as Summers  
No one's neck's as incredibly thick as Summers'  
For there's no man in town half as steely  
Perfect, a pure paragon!  
You can ask any Phil, Dean or Keeley  
And they'll tell you whose team they prefer to be on  
No one's been like Summers  
A king pin like Summers  
No one's got a cool cleft in his chin like Summers"  
"As a specimen, yes, I'm intimidating!" Summers joined in. Then Layton carried on.  
"My what a bloke, that Summers!  
Give five "hurrahs!" Give twelve "hip-hips!"  
Summers is the best  
And the rest are all twits  
No one fights like Summers  
Douses lights like Summers  
In a bar-room brawl nobody bites like Summers!

For there's no one as burly and brawny" Layton sang as Summers showed off his muscles.  
"As you see I've got biceps to spare" Summers joined in lifting up the Rivens triplets on a bench.  
"Not a bit of him's scraggly or scrawny" they sang from the bench above.  
"That's right!  
And ev'ry last inch of me's covered with hair" he sand showing off his hairy chest to the girls.  
"No one hits like Summers  
Matches wits like Summers  
In a hunting match nobody shoots like Summers"

"I'm especially good at the long range shots!" he joined in again showing off his wall mounted stuffed deer head collection.  
Boom!  
"Ten points for Summers!" The crowd cheered.  
"When I was a lad  
I ate four dozen eggs  
Ev'ry day in the old emerald isles  
And now that I'm grown  
I eat five dozen eggs  
So I'm roughly the size of Carlisle!" he greatly exaggerated.  
"My what a bloke, Summers!"

After the song and dance routine, the door burst open. The crowd inside spun round . Luigi ran in. "Please, you have to help me! He's got her! He's got Signorina Drake locked in a dungeon!"

Summers went up to Luigi and put his hands on the Italians shoulders. "Calm down old man, who's got Alex locked in a dungeon?"

Luigi spread his arms wide. "A beast! A giant monstrous beast!"

After a moments silence the room burst into laughter. "Don't worry old man" Summer said. "We'll help you out!"

"You will? Oh Grazi Signor Summers!" Two men walked up to him grabbed his arms and threw him out of the pub where he crashed into a mound of snow. "Will no-one help me?" he cried out in the night.

"Crazy old Luigi" Chuckled one of the men inside. "Always good for a laugh!"

"Crazy old Luigi hmm?" Muttered Summers scratching his chin in thought. " Crazy old Luigi hmm!" Getting an idea.

The servants remained at Alex's door after the beast had stormed off.

"Chris guard the door, lerrus know if anythin' changes" Ray instructed him.

"Wilco!" Chris replied saluting and started marching round the door.

Ray shook his head despairingly. "Div..." He muttered as he and Mrs Dobbs went off elsewhere.

The beast was back up in the west wing. He picked up the mirror. "Show me the girl again" The mirror flashed to life again. It showed Annie talking to Alex. "He's not tha bad once yeh get t' know 'im really" she said honestly.

"I don't want to get to know him!" Alex replied angrily. "I don't want anything to do with him!"

The beast put the mirror down and looked through the window outside dejectedly.

"She'll never see me as anythin' but a monster. It's 'opeless."

**Thanks for reading please review I do love them so and they inspire me to write quicker!**

**Rolephant.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Ok a new chapter of Tale as old as time or TOAST as I've shortened it too (yes I know that's not how it's spelt but it looks like it TAOAT see?) So yeah here's your 3****rd**** piece. This is dedicated to rantandrumour for graciously letting me go to bed at 4am because I'm ill. I spent last night drinking lemsip and writing chapter 4 of Vision of the future (yes I know blatant advertising :P) so here we go with....**

Chapter 3 – Broken promises

A few hours later Alex slowly opened the door and saw that Chris was 'busy' snogging Shaz behind a nearby curtain. She quietly crept passed but Chris noticed. "Bloody hell!" he cursed letting go of Shaz accidentally. He followed her to the kitchen where Mrs Dobbs and Ray were leading the clean up operation. They turned when they heard footsteps echoing on the stone floor. "Hello love, how are you?" Phylis asked.

"I am a little hungry" Alex admitted.

"You hear that she's hungry, let's get some grub together!"

Ray stood in front of her arms stretched out to halt her. "No! Remember what the Guv said"

"Give over, yeh can't let the lass go hungry"

Ray gave in. "Ok ok but keep it down alrigh'"

Chris caught up. "Of course mate, but what's dinner without a bit o' music?"

Ray panicked a bit. "Music??!!"

In the next room Chris had already started the song.

Ma'am. It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome yeh tonight.  
And now we invite yeh to chill out , let us get yeh a chair as the dining room proudly presents - your dinner!  
Be our guest! Be our guest!  
Put our service to the test  
Tie yer napkin 'round your neck, Alex

And we'll provide the rest  
Soup o' the day  
A nice hot pot  
It'll really hit the spot!  
Try the stew  
It's delicious!  
Don't believe me? Ask the dishes!  
They do dancin', they do singin'  
After all, ma'am, this is England  
And a dinner here is never second best

Go on, unfold yer menu  
Take a glance and then you'll  
Be our guest  
yeah, our guest  
Be our guest!

Apple crumble  
corned beef hash  
good old bangers and mash  
We'll prepare and serve with flair  
A culinary cabaret!  
Yer alone  
And yer scared  
But the banquet's all prepared  
No one's gloomy or complaining  
While the flatware's entertaining  
We tell jokes!  
I do tricks  
With my fellow candlesticks  
And it's all in perfect taste  
That you can bet  
Come on and lift your glass  
Ye've won your own free pass  
Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest!

Life it so unnerving  
For us servants who aren't serving  
we're not whole without a soul to wait upon  
ah those good ol' days when we were useful  
suddenly those good ol' days are gone  
10 years on, what a joke  
not even able to have a smoke  
we haven't missed the exercise but the chance to use our skills  
Most days we just lounge around the castle  
Can't be fat and lazy you walked in and oopsiedaisy

Then Mrs Dobbs joined in

It's a guest! It's a guest!  
And it's about bloody well time!  
House rubbish has been poured and we can afford  
to have a pointless line to rhyme  
With dessert, she'll want tea  
I bet there's no cake for me  
While the cups go do their cleaning  
I'll be shining, I'll be gleaming  
I'll get warm, piping hot  
Bugger! Is that a spot?  
Get the clearisil! We want the company impressed  
We've got a lot to do!  
Is it one lump or two?  
For you, our guest!

She's our guest! She's our guest!She's our guest!  
Be our guest! Be our guest!Be our guest!  
Our command is yer request  
It's been years since we've had anybody here  
And we're obsessed  
With your meal, with yer ease  
Yes, indeed, we aim to please  
While the candlelight's still glowing  
Let us help yeh,  
We'll keep going  
Course by course, one by one  
'Til yeh shout, "Enough! I'm done!"  
Then we'll sing yeh off to sleep as you digest  
Tonight you'll prop yer feet up  
But for now, let's eat up  
Be our guest! Be our guest!  
Be our guest!  
Please, be our guest!

"Bravo! Bravo!" Alex cheered clapping loudly in applause.

"Glad yer liked it ma'am" said Chris bowing. Ray started shooing him away.

"But now it's off to bed, off to bed with yeh before the Guv catches us in here!"

"I couldn't possibly go to bed now, it's my first night in an enchanted castle, I want to have a look round!"

Chris shoved Ray out of the way. "Would yeh like a tour ma'am?" he suggested Ray nodding in agreement.

"I'd like that very much"

They began to wander round the castle. Ray was surprisingly informative about the statues and paintings. They stopped suddenly. "What's up there?" Alex asked pointing up at the stairs to her right.

"Oh up there? There's nowt of interest in the west wing" said Ray quickly

"Aaah so that's the west wing!"

"Well done mate" replied Chris sarcastically then he turned to Alex. "How about the tapestries? The garden? The library perhaps?"

Alex stopped dead. "You have a library?"

"Oh yeah" Replied Ray looking relieved she wasn't going up to the masters sacred west wing. "Loadza books, mountains of the blooming things!"

Ray and Chris took the lead in heading off to the library. Alex hesitated and then headed up the stairs to the west wing. As she reached the one room of the small tower she carefully opened the door which was half off it's hinges and quickly checked to see if the coast was clear, it was.

The room was a mess everything was shredded or torn or had chunks taken out of it. She made her way to the back wall where a torn portrait hung. She lifted the torn piece of canvas and held it in place. The painting was of a rather handsome man in his late 30's /early 40's with dark blond hair and familiar piercing silver blue eyes. She couldn't quite place where she'd seen them before. She then caught sight of the most beautiful pink rose she had ever seen. It seemed to hover slightly in the glass jar. She went over to the table and carefully lifted the lid and place it gently next to the flower. She reached out a hand to touch the rose when the lid slammed back down over the enchanted flower. She looked up quickly to see a furious beast, seething with rage, wrapping a protective arm round the precious jar and its contents. "What are yeh doin' 'ere??!!" he roared.

"I..I.." Alex stammered.

"I told yeh never t' come 'ere! Do yeh realise what yeh coulda done? Get out! GET OUUUUT!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. She ran as fast as she could down the flights of stairs and grabbed her cloak off the end of the bannister. "Where are you goin' ma'am?" asked Chris unaware of what happened in the west wing.

"Promise or no promise I'm not staying here a moment longer!" she explained wrapping her cloak around herself and bolting for the front doors. "Oh ma'am please don't .." the doors slammed closed behind her. "...go."

She untied Luigi's horse Guido from the gate and they thundered over the bridge and away from the castle. The beasts primal roar heard clearly in the distance only inspiring Guido to run faster.

As they got to the black forest the horse stopped in it's tracks as a group of wolves surrounded them. The horse bucked throwing Alex off for the second time that day. Luckily the snow cushioned her fall slightly. Guido's reins got caught round a branch. Alex hurriedly tried to free the horse as the wolves slowly approached them snarling threateningly. Unable to untangle the reins she grabbed a broken off branch from the snow laden ground and swung it wildly round Guido to protect him as well as herself from the wolves. She managed to keep them at bay until one pounced at her full force. She fell backwards, the wolf pinned her down, it's jaws clamped round the branch she was still holding in front of her the only barrier between her and the animal. The jaws snapped the branch and she tried to scrabble backwards but backed into a tree.

The horse was holding it's own, kicking wolves away from himself

The wolf attacking Alex tried to snap at her her arm but got lifted away by the scruff of it's neck and hurled backwards.

Alex looked up at her rescuer to see it was the beast. He spun round facing away from her to take on the others. The leader of the pack howled and the entire pack turned away from Guido and pounced at the beast.

The entire pack sunk jaws into the beast who howled in pain as he wrestled the wolves off throwing them in all directions. One of the wolves tore a large chunk out of his right arm and he flung the wolf against a nearby tree. It fell to the ground unconscious. It turned out that wolf was the leader and the rest of the group ran away yelping in fear. The beast staggered round to check Alex was ok, when he saw she was, he collapsed to the ground unconscious. She ran up to check on him, he was bleeding heavily from the wound on his right arm and there were several other cuts and gashes from the fight.

She untangled Guido's reins finding it a lot easier without the pressure of imminent peril. She went to get on the horse and leave but she couldn't do it.

She wanted to get away from the castle more than anything but the beast has just saved her life, she couldn't just leave him passed out in the snow, what if the wolves came back? He'd be helpless.

She got Guido to kneel down as she started to drag the enormous beast onto the horses back. After several minutes hard work the horse was back on it's hooves with the beast draped on his back. Alex had tried to stem the bleeding on the beasts arm with her cloak.

They made their way to the castle before the beast bled to death or they all got pneumonia. Alex was on foot as Guido had enough to carry as it was. She decided she would tend to his wounds back at the castle and hopefully escape before he was strong enough to chase her back. All she knew was she had to escape and soon.

TBC...

**That's it for this instalment. Hope you liked! Please review it might help me get better :P**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Rolephant would like to thank rantandrumour for generally being as harmless as a bunny on a sunny day after peace is declared and everyone is on happy pills. Also for talking in the 3****rd**** person at stupid o'clock in the morning until she gives up or Rolephant gets bored.**

**Rolephant would also like to thank HeidiT for doing such Stirling work beta-ing the fics.**

**And enough with this nonsense, behold the well over due 4****th**** slice of TOAST!**

Chapter 4 – King Arthur

They got back to the castle and with the help of some of the larger servants, she got him into a chair in the main front room. She unwrapped the cloak from his arm and he awoke.

"Welcome back" Alex said gently. She went and got a cloth and found Mrs Dobbs to help her. When she got back to the front room, she found the beast licking his wounds.

"Don't do that!" She scolded him, dunking the cloth in hot water and wrung it out. "Now hold still, this may sting a little" she warned him, carefully placing the cloth on his injured arm. He roared in pain. "That bloody 'urts!" he yelled.

"Well if you held still it wouldn't _'urt_ so much!" She shouted back, defiantly having waggled her fingers and stressed his accent on 'hurt'.

"If you 'adn't run away this wouldn't 'ave 'appened!" he retorted.

"Well if you hadn't frightened me I wouldn't have run away"

The beast opened his mouth, but paused before he came up with his reply. "...Well you shouldn't 'ave been in the west wing" he said finally**, **thinking he had won the argument, but Alex had the final word.

"Well you should learn to control your temper," she snapped and picked up the cloth again.

"Now hold still," she continued in a softer tone, "by the way, thank you. For saving my life" she placed the cloth back on his arm carefully.

"You're welcome," he replied.

Meanwhile back in town, Summers paid a visit to H. Woolf's asylum. Harry Woolf looked up from his desk. "Martin Summers, to what do I owe the pleasure, at this hour of the night?" he asked, gesturing for Summers to take the seat at the other side of the desk.

"I want to marry Alex Drake but she needs a little persuasion, as it were" he began and threw a bag of coins onto the desk. Woolf checked the bag. "I'm listening."

"Her neighbour is that Italian inventor Luigi. She sees him as a father figure. He's also as crazy as a box of frogs, he was raving on about a beast in a castle earlier"

"Luigi's harmless" Woolf interjected.

"Yeah but if she thinks he's being carted off to bedlam, she'll do anything to see him released....even marry me."

Woolf pulled a disgusted face. "Martin that's despicable!" he said and began to laugh. "I love it!"

"I have to find Bella, even if it means taking on that beast on my own" Luigi muttered to himself grabbing supplies before running out of the house and slamming the door shut behind him.

Moments later**,** Summers and Layton got to that same door and knocked. "Great....no-one's home" Layton complained. Summers picked up the smaller man by the collar and threw him against a wall causing snow to fall on him. "You will wait here until Alex and Luigi return."

The beast was on the balcony with his servants watching Alex in the garden with Guido and Ivanhoe the cat/footstool.

"I've never felt this way about anyone. I want ter do summat for her, but what?" he asked.

"Well there's flowers, chocolates, promises you won't keep" Ray listed off.

"Wait**,** I know!" Chris exclaimed as down in the garden Alex began another Disney style song.

_There's something sweet and somewhat kind,_

_but he was cruel and a real pain in the behind,_

_but now he's caring and so unsure,_

_I wonder why I didn't see it there before_

"Come along love," said Annie as Alex came in from the cold. "Let's get you out of those wet things"

The beast continued the song**:**

_she looked this way, I gazed in awe,_

_but when we touched she didn't shudder at me paw,_

_nah surely not, I'll just ignore,_

_but then a finer lass I've never known before_

"Alex, I have summat ter show yeh" the beast told her "But first yeh 'ave ter close yer eyes" She looked at him sceptically. "It's a surprise" he assured her, he waited and she did so. "All right" he stated drawing the curtains. "Now"

She opened her eyes and once they accustomed to the light, she saw the largest array of books she had ever seen, shelf upon shelf of literature.

"I can't believe it!" She gasped. "I've never seen so many books!"

The beast looked into her eyes. "You like?" He asked unsure.

"It's wonderful!" she replied still gazing around the room.

The beast smiled now knowing he'd done good."Then it's yours"

_It's more than just a bit alarming,_

_who'd have ever guessed how kind he'd be,_

_true he's certainly no prince charming,_

_but there's something in him that I really didn't see_

"Oh this is one of my favourites!" Alex said pulling a book from the shelf. "It's King Arthur, have you read it?"

The beast shook his head "No I 'aven't"

"Well you don't know what you're missing**.**"

_Well who'd have guessed!_

_Well bugger me!_

_Who'd 'ave known?_

_Certainly not me,_

_and who'd 'ave guessed they'd come together on their own,_

_it's very odd, we'll wait and see_

_a few days more,_

_there maybe summat there that wasn't there before,_

_perhaps there's summat there that wasn't there before._

"What's there?" asked Sammy not understanding.

"I'll tell yeh when yer older," Mrs Dobbs told him.

Chris began to usher the others out. "Come on now. Let's give them some privacy"

Out of the room Sammy looked up at Mrs Dobbs "Will I ever get to be a boy again?"

"I 'ope so," she replied longingly.

"When will I know?" he asked.

"Soon love, if it's to be. It'll 'appen very soon. Come along**, **son" she answered leading him away.

Alex was reading from the book. "Knowing now, that this was indeed the legendary sword called 'Excalibur'**,** Arthur tried to pull it from the stone. He tried once to no avail. He tried a second time, but still he could not pull it out. Then, for the third time, Arthur drew forth the sword."

The beast looked up triumphantly "So that means 'e's the king!"

Alex laughed. "Wait and see"

"I never knew books could do that." he said quietly.

"Do what?" she asked.

"Take me away from this place**;** make me forget for a little while"

"Forget?" She asked gently.

"who I...what I am" he corrected himself.

Thinking for a moment Alex said "we have something in common**,** you know"

He looked up at her again. "What's that?"

"In the town where I'm from, people think I'm odd."

"You?" he asked incredulously.

She nodded. "So I know how it feels to be..different. And I know how lonely that can be."

She picked up the book and carried on reading. "For the third time**, **Arthur drew forth the sword and there arose from the people a great shout. 'Arthur is king!'"

The beast smiled smugly. "Told yeh so!"

There was a knock on the door and Ray poked his head round. "Breakfast's ready" he announced.

They sat down at the table to eat porridge. The beast began to slobber it down as Alex ate daintily with a spoon and he stopped and looked up to see Alex far from impressed. He grabbed his spoon and tried to use it without success. Alex then lifted her bowl and sipped from it indicating the beast to do the same. Happy with the compromise they lifted their bowls in cheers and finished breakfast.

Pulling on their warmer gear they ventured back into the garden. Alex hid behind a tree as the beast tried to find her. Turning his back, Alex threw a snowball at the back of his head and laughed as he pouted, pretending to be hurt. He then grinned evilly gathering up a huge amount of snow to make a massive snowball and held it above his head. Before he got a chance to throw it Alex threw another which hit him in the face and surprised by this, let go of the giant snowball landing on his head.

Alex was in fits of laughter as the beast got up and began to chase her round the garden.

Once they got tired they went back inside and warmed up at the fireplace and just talked for hours. The beast invited her to a proper dinner dance and she accepted.

Later on when Alex went to get changed, Chris had a word with the beast. "Guv, tonight must be the night"

"The beast shook his head. "I don't think I'm ready" he said.

"But the rose has already begun t' wilt Guv! Yeh don't have time t' be insecure, yeh must be bold, daring and charismatic!"

The beast looked into the mirror as a barber went to work on him. "Yeah I must be bold, I must be daring I...look like a nonce."

"Hmm perhaps a little more off the top?"

He put on a white shirt, gold waistcoat, black trousers and a royal blue jacketthat brought out his eyes.

Ray walked in and announced. "Guv, yer lady awaits!"

**tbc! Thanks to all of you still following this and please review it really makes me day! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey folks I'm back again with another slice of toast. There are 2 songs in this one and I'm sorry it's been so long. Thanks to Rantandrumour, purely for not killing Alex off in only scarlet avenges sable (a good read btw).**

Chapter 5 – The dance

Once the beast had left the room Ray and Chris slumped against a wall knackered. After the beast had invited Alex to a proper dinner dance, the servants had spent the entire day cleaning the castle, inspired by the hope that the posh talking, book loving, beautiful woman would fall in love with the gruff northern prince and that they would become human again.

_Yeh know what folks?  
Today could be the day like  
If only that were true, Chris  
Human again just think what that means  
I'll be smokin' again  
Dancin' and jokin' again  
With a fit bird on each arm _Shaz gave him a dirty look_, well just the one  
When I'm human again  
Only human again  
Us double dating with the Guv and ma'am  
I'll be courting again  
Slim and sporting again  
Which should cause several footballers alarm!  
I'll jump down off the shelf  
I'll soon be myself  
I can't wait to be human again  
_

The girls joined in_  
When we're human again  
Only human again  
When we're random household items no more  
Little push, little shove  
They may well fall in love  
_

Annie carried on_  
Ah, but Chris it means so much more  
I'll wear lipstick and rouge  
And I won't be so huge  
Why, I'll actually fit through that door  
Sick of being stuck in there  
I'll wear dresses! I'll have hair!  
It's my dream to be human again  
_

Ray stepped up:_  
When I'm human again  
Only human again  
When the world once more making sense  
I'll be after the girls again  
_Chris joined in_  
Ray sure you don't like men?  
_Ray got mad_  
Bloody hell Chris I don't sodding like Gents!  
_After that Ray chased after Chris going passed the Library hollering at each other._  
_

After looking round puzzled Alex continued to read to the beast. "Never was there a tale of more woe, than that of Juliet and her Romeo"

"Hmm could yeh read it again?" The beast asked wanting the time to pass quicker til dinner.

Alex smiled and passed the book towards the beast. "Here why don't you read it to me?"

The beast picked it up. "Okay" After a few moments he looked up and admitted " I can't"

"You mean you never learnt?"she asked looking surprised.

"I learnt a little, it's just been so long " he explained, embarrassed.

Alex shuffled along closer to the beast and held the book "Well here I'll help you., let's start here"

Clearly struggling the beast started to read out loud. "Twoh"

"Two" Alex corrected him.

The beast pulled a face. "Two, I knew that, two 'ouseholds..."

In the next room the song continued.

_When we're human again_

_only human again_

_when the lass finally sets us all free_

_we'll all be human again_

_we're assuming again_

_that Alex will be the key_

_we'll be playing again_

_holidaying again_

_and we're hoping it's ASAP_

_we'll go on the pull_

_we'll stand straight_

_we'll walk tall_

_and we'll all of us, human again._

"I 'ope this works like"said Chris as they got up and made their way to the dance hall via another route.

Alex was waiting at the top of the stairs. The beast took a deep breath and stepped on to the landing. He took in the lady waiting opposite. She was wearing an off the shoulder golden dress with matching gloves and shoes, he thought she looked amazing.

He stepped forward and offered his arm trying not to look as nervous as he felt. She accepted and as they went down the stairs the music began to play.

After what was a culinary masterpiece, the beast ushered Alex onto the highly polished dance floor.

A piano started up as Mrs Dobbs began to sing:

_Tale as old as time_

_real as it can be_

_hardly even mates_

_some may think its fate_

_unbreakable_

_a change in attitude_

_small to say the least_

_both a little scared_

_so-so as far it's fared_

_beauty and the beast_

_he swears just the same_

_I guess that's no surprise _

_ever as before _

_ever just as sure_

_as his temper will rise_

_tale as old as time_

_we've waited for so long_

_this is really strange_

_seeing the Guv change_

_learning he was wrong_

_certain as our Chris_

_will always be a div_

_tale as old as time_

_song as old as rhyme _

_beauty and the beast_

_tale as old as time_

_song as old as rhyme _

_beauty and the beast_

Alex showed the beast where to hold her and they started to twirl around the dance floor, the beast seemed surprising natural at it, after a few minutes Alex leant her head on his chest smiling. The beast glanced down amazed and then looked over at Ray and Chris smiling broadly, they were both smiling back silently cheering him on.

After the music had ended, the beast led Alex to the balcony holding her hands in his. "Alex are yeh 'appy 'ere with me?" he asked softly.

Alex nodded. "Yes I am..."

"That sounds like a yes I am but..., what's wrong?" he asked concerned.

"I just wish I could see Luigi again. He's always been like a father to me."

After a moments thought he said "There is a way" he left for a minute and came back with the mirror Sam had given him. "'ere, yeh can see anything you want in this mirror, all you need to do is say 'is name"

Alex took the mirror and said "I'd like to see Luigi..please" She shielded her eyes as the mirror lit up and she gasped as she saw the Italian collapsed in the snow ill and exhausted. "Oh no! Luigi!"

"What is it?" the beast asked going round to look too.

"He's sick! And all alone, he could die out there!"

The beast looked down at the ground. " Then you must go to him"he said quietly, knowing he was now giving up his chance of changing back., Giving it up for her.

"What?" she asked not quite believing what she was hearing.

"You 'ave to go to 'im, you are no longer my prisoner, you are free to go"

"Thank you" she said gratefully giving him the mirror back.

He shook his head. "No love, you keep it. That way if you ever think of me, I'll always be there"

She smiled in gratitude and ran off to grab her things.

Chris and Ray showed up as she went off. "Well done Guv!" Chris congratulated.

Ray nodded "Yeah you've all but broken the spell!"

The beast turned away from them . "I let her go"

The pair ran off to tell the others. "HE DID WHAT?"

"'e said 'e 'ad to let her go, that other bloke that were 'ere is ill"

Chris spoke up. "Well 'e cares about what she wants, 'e loves 'er! That should break the spell!"

Phyllis shook. "It's not enough Chris, She 'as to love 'im too"

They all looked down dejectedly and walked away.

**Until the next time dear reader, it wont be long it's half written already :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Tale as old as Time - chapter 6 – Stand and defend**

**A/N: Hey guys welcome back to the penultimate chapter of TOAST not long now till I go back to work on other fics that have been neglected. Been inspired to write this again due to getting the beauty and the beast DVD box set just before Christmas. Thanks as usual to rantandrumour who says she'll eat potato if I type this so here it goes:**

Alex charged away on Guido to find Luigi. After a little while she found him face down in the snow. She managed to haul him onto the back of the horse and they rode back to his house.

Layton noticed their return and went back to inform Summers.

Alex put Luigi to bed and placed her bag on the nearby table. She soaked a cloth and placed it on his forehead. Luigi started to come to. "Bella?"

" It's ok Luigi, I'm home" she said softly.

"How did you escape?" He asked sitting up sharply.

Alex mopped his brow and got him to lie down again. "He let me go"

"That horrible beast?" he asked incredulously.

"He's not like that any more, he's changed somehow."

Suddenly there was some commotion surrounding Alex's bag. It fell open and out spun Sammy on the mirror. "Hi Alex" He greeted her chirpily. "Why'd you go away? Don't you like us any more?"

Alex tried to reassure the boy "of course I do it's just that.." She was interrupted by a knock on the door. Alex got up and opened it and there stood Harry Woolf. Looking confused at this Alex asked "Can I help you?"

Woolf Smiled "I've come to collect Luigi"

"Luigi?" She asked nonplussed.

"Don't worry Miss Drake we'll take good care of him" Woolf assured her stepping aside to reveal a waiting horse drawn cart with Fenchurch asylum daubed on the side with a huge group of people surrounding the house. "Luigi's not crazy!" She yelled at him.

Layton stepped forward. "He was raving about a beast in a castle!"

Two men started to drag Luigi out of the house, Alex stood in front of them and said "No I won't let you do this!"

"Bella!" Luigi called

"Luigi!" She called back as they put him down in the centre of the group. Layton stepped forward again with a cruel smile he said "Tell us again old man, just how big was the beast?"

"He was a... was enormous! Maybe 8 no 10 feet tall!"

The crowd howled with laughter with the exception of Summers who stood in the background listening intently with a huge smile on his face.

The groups laughter died down as Layton added "Well you don't get much crazier than that" He started laughing again as Luigi tried to wrench himself free of the men holding him back. "It's true I tell you!"

"Get him outta here!" Layton ordered, indicating the cart next to him.

"You can't do this to him!" Alex yelled thumping men who were dragging Luigi.

Summers pulled Alex away. "Poor Alex, it's a shame about your neighbour there"

"You know he's not crazy Martin!"

Summers smiled and said "I might be able to clear this...little misunderstanding IF..."

Alex looked at him suspiciously "If what?"

A rather sinister smile graced Summers face as he replied "If you'll marry me"

Alex's jaw dropped in shock. "What!" She exclaimed in disgust.

"Just one little three letter word Alex is all it takes"

She looked at him defiantly. "Never!"

Summers scowled "Fine have it your way then"

Alex ran up the steps to the house. "Luigi isn't mad and I can prove it!"

A moment later she returned with the mirror the beast had given her and held it in front of the crowd. "Show me the beast!" She commanded.

Once again the mirror came to life and the crowd saw the beast still roaring from the balcony.

One of the towns folk stepped forward "Is he dangerous?"

"Oh no, I know he looks it" She started looking fondly at the image in the mirror "But he's really kind and gentle, he's my friend."

Summers scowled jealously. " If I didn't know better Alex, I'd think you have feelings for this monster"

Alex strode up to him jaw set. "He's no monster summers you are!"

"You're as crazy as Luigi is" He grabbed the mirror and wrenched it out of Alex's hand. "This beast will hunt down your kids, come after them in the night" he told them.

Alex ran forward. "No! He hasn't before, why would he now?"

Ignoring Alex, Summers continued. "We're not safe until his head is mounted on my wall. Let's go kill the beast!"

"No Martin don't!" Alex yelled running up to block his path.

"Alex if you don't agree with us, then you'll have to be stopped, bring her and the old man" Summers commanded and some of the mob grabbed Alex and Luigi and hauled them over to the cellar. They were thrown in and the door was securely blocked

Alex ran up to the door hammering on it. "Let us out!"

She heard the voices of the mob trail off as they headed off to the castle. "We have to get out of here, I have to warn the beast!"

The mob got halfway to the castle and fashioned a battering ram out of a tree trunk and carried on their way.

At the castle, the servants were together wallowing in the fact that they were going to stay as they were. They looked up however when they noticed Ivanhoe scratching at the window.

Chris went to get on the table. "Is it ma'am?"

Mrs Dobbs wouldn't believe it. "Nah it cant be can it?"

Chris made it to the top of the table. "Bloody 'ell! Invaders!"

Ray scowled "Bloody twats trying to tek us on!" He turned to the group. "Phyllis inform the Guv, Chris get the others ready for battle, if it's a fight they want, that's what they'll get!"

Back at the house, well.. cellar, Alex was trying to pry the cellar window open to no avail. "Luigi what are we going to do?"

"Hush now Bella, we think of something eh?" he replied.

Outside Sammy was at Luigis machine and he had an idea. He started it up and the machine sprang to life and careered down the hill towards the cellar, Luigi saw this just in time and pulled Alex to the far end of the room. Smiling at the boys ingenuity Alex picked Sammy up and they ran over to Guido and sped over to the castle.

Mrs Dobbs was in the west wing. "Guv, there are men outside trying to invade the castle, what'll we do?"

The beast didn't look round. " It doesn't matter any more, just let them come"

The mob outside started bashing the door with the battering ram, the servants all pushed against the other side trying in vain to stop the mob getting in. "It's not working Chris, what are we going to do?" Shaz asked him..

"Hang on, I might actually have an idea!" he announced, the other servants looked round at him in shock. Chris the div with an idea?

Seconds later the mob crashed through the door. They glanced round just seeing furniture they ventured in. Once the mob were in the furnitures midst, Chris suddenly shouted "Attack!"

The furniture launched an attack on the mob, who were shocked by it all. Everything from kitchen utensils to wardrobes were attacking the mob. Summers crept away from the group to find the beast. Bow drawn he cautiously made his way through the hallways.

Layton had crept up on Chris, he was holding a large torch, Chris was cornered and his head was starting to melt, he started to panic seeing no way out.

Ray noticed this from the top of the stairs. He grabbed a pair of scissors and slid down the banisters, pointing the sharp end of the scissors at Laytons rear end. When Ray reached Layton. The man yelled in pain and ran off and a relieved Chris thanked Ray and they joined the mele again.

Summers crept up to the west wing where the beast as staring dejectedly at the rose in the jar. He heard Summers draw his bow tighter and turned round, obviously not looking like he wanted to fight.

Chris hopped round to see one of the mob attacking Shaz, pulling feathers from her. He went up to the attacker and blew flames from his candles, burning the man, yelling in pain like Layton he ran off dropping Shaz, Chris caught her before she fell to the ground.

A group of men chased Ivanhoe into the kitchen and the chef who was turned into a cooker lit up the burners, drew all the sharp knifes and laughed sinisterly and that was the last straw for the mob who all fled the castle. " And bloody well keep out yeh bastards!" Ray yelled at them.

Summers went up to the beast wanting more of a fight than just shooting him. "Get up!" He yelled pointing the bow at the beast.

The beast uninterested didn't move. Summers walked up to him and shouted again "I said get up!" with this he kicked the beast through a window, and he rolled down the roof onto a ledge surrounded by gargoyles.

Summers jumped down and continued to yell. " Stand up and fight, what's the matter you coward? Too kind to fight back?" He kicked the beast to the very end of the ledge. "Did you really think she'd want you, when she could have me instead?"

Summers stormed up to a gargoyle and snapped off a huge chunk. "Game over beast, Alex is mine!"

"Summers no! Don't!" Alex yelled from the courtyard.

The beast peered over the edge. "Alex?" he turned round to see Summers standing over him with the concrete gargoyle raised over his head ready to strike.

**Yup there's a cliff hanger... well if you've not seen the film anyway. Thus ends the penultimate chapter, hope you enjoyed and please leave a review , thanks :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Yes folks you are not seeing things I finally got round to writing the final chapter! This is your last serving of toast! Stayed up until 5am writing this last night!**

**As always I don't own life on Mars, ashes to ashes or beauty and the beast. **

**Also a little thing I chose to use the word Grotesque rather than Gargoyle in this, as stated in the TV show QI a Gargoyle spouts water Grotesque don't and that's what you see in the scene in the film.**

**Thanks also to everyone whose favourited or reviewed or both to this, I dedicate this to you all!**

**Tale as old as Time**

**Chapter 7 – Yeh came back.**

The look in the beast immediately changed. He grabbed the concrete club and got up.  
Summers looked up absolutely petrified as the beast rose to his full height and began growling. The rain began to fall and thunder crashed around them.

Alex meanwhile had charged into the castle and was tearing up the stair towards the west wings balcony.

The beast tore the makeshift club from Summers and threw it away.

He then chased the blonde man over a tower roof top. Due to the torrential rain the roof tiles were slick and summers almost fell.

Seeing a moment of weakness the best pounced after him sending them both on to a lower roof top.

The best landed on top of Summers who pushed him off with his legs and found the club the beast had just tossed away.

He turned round to find the beast gone, hidden in the shadows of a row of Groteques. Flicking his sopping wet hair out of his eyes, Summers headed towards the concrete statues, smashing each one as he went.

He passed the beast still hidden in the shadows, he stepped out behind Summers, the Irishman however saw him out of the corner of his eye and spun round wielding the club.

He continued to swipe the club until the beast had backed all the way to a ledge with no roof below it, just sheer drop to some rocks far below.

Martin Summers laughed manically, victory in his sights. " Too bad monster, end of the line, Alex will be mine!"

The 'monsters' blue eyes scowled and he pounced again knocking Summers to the ground.

Before he could get up, the beast grabbed him by the throat with one hand and held him over the edge.

Summers panicked and his arms flailed about desperately trying to grab at the beasts arm. " No! No! Don't let go! Please! I'll do anything! Anything!"

The beasts scowl dropped to something like pity for a moment then returned back to a scowl as he dragged the cowering man back over to safety.

He stared at Martin threateningly and growled "Ge'rrout!" and threw him aside, not giving him a second thought as Alex called out to him from the balcony above.

He turned round surprised, frown gone from his face. "Alex"

Alex leant out over the balcony, reaching out to him.

The beast scaled the steep rooftop deftly. "Alex" he repeated as he gently took her hand. "Yeh came back" he continued whilst stroking her hair with his free paw.

As Alex was about to reply, a sudden noise was heard and the beast roared in pain and let go of her.

It was Summers who had climbed up and out of jealousy had stabbed the beast in the side.

With the knife still in one hand, Summers was only;y holding onto the roof one-handed and as the beast swayed backwards, he knocked him off the roof and he plunged to his death on the rocks below.

Alex reached out and grabbed the beasts cape to stop him facing the same fate and hauled him over the railing to safety.

As she pulled him over, the servants had caught up but kept their distance and stayed just inside the west wing.

They watched as she laid him carefully on the ground. It was obvious he was in a lot of pain and was fighting just to remain conscious for her.

He smiled and repeated his earlier comment. "Yeh came back"

Alex held onto his head to hold him up slightly. "Of course I came back! I couldn't let them do this!" She gently hugged him. "This is my fault, I'm so sorry, If only I had been quicker!"

The beast shook his head slightly. "Maybe it's bet..better this way" He replied getting weaker by the second.

"Don't give up so quickly, you'll be okay, together we're unbreakable remember? Just like Mrs Dobbs said" She told him, gently placing his head on the ground.

With a lot of effort he reached out and rested a paw on the side of her face.

Now desperately trying to stay conscious he kept talking. "At least I got teh see yeh, one last time"

He smiled again and suddenly his eyes rolled back in his head and the paw Alex was holding to her face went limp.

Alex gently set the beasts arm down to his side and held he hands to her mouth as it sunk in.

She leant over to check for a pulse, upon not finding one, she broke down. "No! No! Please! Please don't leave me! I love you!" She laid her head on his chest and began to cry.

At that same moment the servants turned to see the last petal of the rose fall to the bottom of the bell jar.

They began to commiserate and comfort each other. Not only had they lost their master just as he was becoming better man, but they were also now trapped as household objects forever.

As Alex continued to cry, the rain still hammering down, something strange began to happen. Some flashes like fireworks began to fall alongside the rain.

After few moments Alex noticed the flashes, just as the beasts body began to rise from the ground.

More than just little shocked Alex backed away looking rather scared.

The servants looked equally amazed by the unfolding event.

The best rose up and was manoeuvred to an upright position, as this happened Alex backed even further away.

His scarlet cloak wrapped round him due to the swirling winds and he began to transform.

Paws turned to hands and feet and his body twisted around so Alex could no longer see him as his fur began to just wash away.

When the transformation was complete he was gently lowered to the ground.

As he started to get up, Alex looked unsure of what to do. She jumped at the sudden movement. His back was still turned to her, she had not yet seen his face, he was looking at his hands.

Realising what had happened he suddenly turned round to face her, who was trying to figure out if the 6ft man with blonde hair and silver blue eyes was the same man as the beast she had fallen in love with.

"Alex, it's still me" he tried to reassure her.

She cautiously approached him and tentatively brushed his hair out of his face and looked deep into his eyes.

"It really is you!" she realised.

At that comment and at the spur of the moment, they kissed and fireworks went off in the last of the nights sky.

As dawn began to break, the castle began to transform from a dark Gothic castle to a bright regal one and Grotesques changed back to cherubs.

The servants made their way over to the couple.

The first to transform was Chris, who changed back into a 5ft 7 man with dark hair peppered with blonde highlights. "Blimey..Ace!" he exclaimed, not quite believing it.

Next was Ray, back to his regular 5ft 11, permed haired, moustached self.

Then Phyliss, followed by Sammy and Ivanhoe.

The blonde man, for once emotional called their names and they were drawn together in a group hug.

Later that evening a house wide party was in swing. Gene, as Alex had found out earlier that day, was dressed smartly asking Alex to dance.

"Told yeh she'd break the curse mate" Chris told Ray wriggling his fingers whilst he said the word curse.

"No way I told you!" Ray retorted.

They began to fight but it was short lived as Chris got distracted by Shaz.

"All righ' babe?" she asked him.

Chris turned to Ray " Sorry mate, we'll sort it out later" with that he escorted Shaz to another room.

Luigi had made a full recovery and watched as Gene and Alex danced along to Mrs Dobbs song.

_Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, Alex and the guv._

**Hope it was worth the wait and please whether you do normally or not, please leave a review on this last chapter, thanks if you followed this all the way through - Rolephant**


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